The Syracuse Susan Komen 5K race on Saturday was uplifting, inspiring, and a really good time. More than 7,500 people were there; 700 kids under the age of 12 ran in the Kids 1-Mile Race (BH and I cheered and whistled for them), several thousand did the 5K walk, and the rest of us ran the 5K proper. BH was very sweet and ran with me, even though he is much faster than I am. It felt so, so good to be with a crowd of people who were all there for one of the best causes in America.
::author blisses out for a moment::
Got up early this morning for a long, slow run. Normally I don’t run two days in a row (old knees), but I am going away again tomorrow and don’t think I’ll be able to get an exercise until Friday. My long-term goal is to run the Philadelphia Distance Run this year. It’s a half-marathon, aka 13.1 miles. If I want to run it without dying (I do not worry about running fast – I can’t – I just try to complete races without needing to be rushed to a hospital) I have to start logging more miles ASAP.
On my run I saw one sunrise, one Baltimore Oriole, and three red-winged blackbirds. Then I came home and ate a bagel and fried eggs. ::more bliss::
I am off to NYC tomorrow to chat with my agent and meet with my editors and talk about the next books I want to write. I am not bringing the computer with me (shocking, I know), but I will take pictures. I’ll be back Friday.
hope you have a nice time in NYC! and i’m glad you survived the 5K run! miss you! =) ♥
I would like to know (and I think maybe more of your blog readers would like to know too) how much back and forth there is when you talk with your agent and editors about your next books? How much do you talk about your ideas before you write them?
heard you were going to be keynote speaker for the nescbwi conference next year. Can’t wait to meet you in person.
Good question. My agent doesn’t comment on my work; she is there to represent the books, not critique them. (Some agents do act as a first-pass editor. I didn’t want one like that.)
I give my editors a heads-up about the direction a book is taking. TWISTED started several years ago when my editor Shrayn and I went to lunch and I told her “I want to write a book about a boy.” She wholeheartedly supported the idea… I wrote for months and months and months and three years after that first conversation we now have a book.
My editors are very, very good about not laying their ideas on top of my stories. They are also very good at asking the questions that help me peer deeper into my characters and their motivations. I appreciate those kinds of questions enormously.
I’m glad the Susan Komen 5K went well! Those are my favourite kinds of runs. And I am excited about your long term goal! How did your long slow run go? Are you apprehensive or excited about this goal? Why Philadelphia?
I hope you have a good time in NYC!
🙂 Sarah
Hola. Not to be some annoying fan, but I just read Twisted on Saturday night. Literally in one three hour reading session, while visiting relatives. It was that good. I absolutely LOVED it.
Komen Race
My sister and I are doing the Susan G. Komen 3 Day (60 mile) walk again this year. Actually, she walks and I crew… we love it. Congrats on your run!
Hello.
I read “Speak” last night in one sitting, and today went hunting for your website, with the result that I have added you to both my LiveJournal friends and Myspace friends.
“Speak” is on my re-read list, and I look forward to reading more of your work.
Sincerely,
Mary
Laurie- I have just recently read SPEAK for an end of the year english project (i am a junior) and i absolutely loved it. i wish i could run out to the bookstore right now just to pick up the rest of your most assuredly brilliant work. (don’t worry, as soon as i get the time you bet i will!) i am sure that speak, along with your other books, have touched the lives of many, many people, one of them being mine. keep up the great work!
a grateful reader,
Lindsey
hey 😉
i just read two of your books, twisted and speak.
…WOW. I was beggin gmy mother to buy me Twisted, and she finally did I read it in less than 24 hours! and speak, i read in 2 days. I need to verify my email, thats hwy Im not logged in but if you can please, send me a comment 😉 that’d be so awesome.
zero3sixteen.livejournal.com
thank you,
Robert
i thought you would get a kick out of this: http://lord-whimsy.livejournal.com/216000.html
Hey,
I read Speak about a year or two ago, and since then I’ve been hooked. I recently saw your MySpace and then your LJ and decided to add you. Anyway, I haven’t picked up Twisted yet, but I can’t wait to. You’re one of my favorite authors, and I have so much respect for you. I love your work, and can’t wait to read more.
Danielle